Thursday, May 28, 2009

(Mercer, PA)…As one of the most highly anticipated events in the 58-year history of Mercer Raceway Park draws near on June 6, to add to the festivities marketing partner 93.3 WNCD “The Wolf” has announced that Playboy Covergirl Lisa Neeld will make an appearance in conjunction with the USAC’s National Sprint Car Series event.

The appearance will be part one of the 10 “Wolf Nights Out” at Mercer Raceway Park. Neeld, 31 of Cortland, Ohio, is a married mother of two. Neeld has her own radio program “The G-Spot with Lisa” as she joins “Fast Freddie” Monday afternoons on 93.3 WNCD at 4:30 p.m.

Neeld’s first pictorial for Playboy hit the newsstands on January 29, 2008, where she was featured in the Special Edition “Hot Housewives.” She made Playboy's Sexy 100, which is "The Ultimate Collection of Playboy's Sexiest Stars" putting her in the same issue as Pam Anderson, The Girls Next Door, Anna Nicole and numerous celebrities and playmates! On March 3, 2009, Neeld became a Playboy Covergirl as part of the “Hot Housewives” issue!

“The Wheelman” on June 6 will see the USAC National Sprint Car Series make their first ever appearance at Mercer and will be the conclusion of the Eastern Tour/Pennsylvania Swing. The $5,000 to-win event will be presented by Rotondo Weirich.

Advanced adult tickets are just $18, which includes early admission for preferred seating and a pre-race pit pass. Event day tickets are $20 for adults; students 6-15 are $7; Family Pass is $45; and kids five and under are free.

Pit gates open at 3 p.m. General admission tickets go on sale at 4:30 with warm-up at 6, qualifying for USAC at 6:30 followed by racing.

A first ever “Meet Your Heroes” for the USAC drivers will be held right before the push off of the 30-lap feature.

For more on Lisa Neeld, check out her website at www.lisaneeld.com or www.myspace.com/lisaneeld. More on Neeld is available on WNCD’s website at www.wncd.com.

Mercer Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile dirt track located just minutes from both Interstates 79 & 80 just off Route 19 at 555 Fairground Road, Mercer, PA. For more information, check out www.mercerracewaypark.com or call the office at 724-964-9300. For information on race day, call the track at 724-662-1310

Saturday, May 09, 2009

410 Sprint Car Driver Danny Holtgraver captured his first checkered flag of the 2009 season at Sharon Speedway on Saturday Night May 2. Starting on the front row with Bob Felmlee usually means racing for second. And it looked that way when the green flag dropped as Felmlee jumped out to an early lead. But a caution slowed the field on lap seven and Danny dove under Felmlee on the restart entering turn one. The powerslide put Holtgraver into the lead for good, as even the lapped traffic was no match for the D4. “We battled through a bunch lapped traffic, held on to it and won the race!” commented Danny with an air of pride and satisfaction. Earlier in the evening, Danny finished second in his heat to former Sharon Track Champion Kevin Schaeffer.

Friday was shaping up to be a promising night with a new look D4 on the wing after last week’s flip at Mercer Raceway Park. But rain poured as the first sprint heat was being pushed off, canceling the event. PA Posse Young Gun Cody Darrah was on hand due to serving a suspension at Williams Grove Speedway and Danny was looking forward to racing against him. “I was looking forward to seeing what he was about, but I guess we’ll all just have to wait until the next time he tows out!”

Sunday Night was the first big sprint show of the year at Tri-City Speedway as $2500 was on the line. Tri-City ran sprints on a weekly basis for years, but dropped them at the beginning of last season. A field of thirty plus hit the big half mile, including All Stars Dale Blaney, Tim Shaffer, Greg Wilson and Brandon Wimmer. Danny finished second in his heat ahead of Greg Wilson. He started eighth in the feature, but spun out mired in the slick middle groove bringing out what would be the only caution in the 30 lap race. He had to tag the back of the field on the restart and was passing cars making his way back to the front when he abruptly pulled off the track and into the infield. A post race inspection by his crew revealed what they suspect is a broken valve.

The Holtgraver D4 is slated for competition at Lernerville Speedway this Friday and at Sharon Speedway this Saturday to defend his Opening Night win!

Heading into this weekend, Danny is currently in fourth in the points at Lernerville Speedway, eight back of points leader Ed Lynch Jr. Danny currently leads the points at Sharon Speedway and is 12th at Mercer Raceway Park, but is not necessarily going to run for points at either track on Saturday Nights. He has one feature win (Sharon), a heat race win (at Mercer), four top fives and five top tens. www.DannyHoltgraver.com will be re-launched in the near future.

As always, Danny would like to thank his family, crew and sponsors for everything they do to keep him on the track and running with the big dogs in the Western Pennsylvania 410 sprint car scene. 2009 sponsors and marketing partners include West View Motors, Ti22 Performance, Alternative Power Sources, Kistler Racing Products, Manno’s Automotive, J&J Auto Racing, Frankland Racing Supply, Butler Built Professional Seat Systems, Terry Key Detailing, Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts, D&T Auto Body, Simpson, VRP Shocks, Agip, Spinneweber Auto Sales and Mel Bagley’s Auto Service Center.